Cacyreus marshalli is the only alien butterfly in Europe. It has recently spread in the Gran Paradiso National Park (GPNP), where it could potentially compete with native geranium-consuming butterflies. Our study aimed to (1) assess the main drivers of its distribution, (2) evaluate the potential species distribution in GPNP and (3) predict different scenarios to understand the impact of climate warming and the effect of possible mitigations. Considering different sampling designs (opportunistic and standardised) and different statistical approaches (MaxEnt and N-mixture models), we built up models predicting habitat suitability and egg abundance for the alien species, testing covariates as bioclimatic variables, food plant (Pelargonium spp.) distribution and land cover. A standardised approach resulted in more informative data collection due to the survey design adopted. Opportunistic data could be potentially informative but a major investment in citizen science projects would be needed. Both approaches showed that C. marshalli is associated with its host plant distribution and therefore confined in urban areas. Its expansion is controlled by cold temperatures which, even if the host plant is abundant, constrain the number of eggs. Rising temperatures could lead to an increase in the number of eggs laid, but the halving of Pelargonium spp. populations would mostly mitigate the trend, with a slight countertrend at high elevations.

Litter weevil communities were investigated in two different types of montane forest in Ecuador: foothill evergreen forest, present in the Otongachi Integral Reserve between 800 and 1000 m, and tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), present in the Otonga Integral Reserve between 1600 and 2300 m. Sampling was conducted along elevation gradients, applying the entomological sifting method to 19 sampling transects (11 in Otonga and 8 in Otongachi). The taxa collected were identified as morphospecies, since the majority of them are still undescribed. A total of 510 specimens were sampled, belonging to 100 different morphospecies, 85 of which were found in Otonga and 15 in Otongachi. No species in common between the two areas were found, despite the fact that the distance is extremely small (approximately 12 km). The Otonga area, regardless of primary or secondary forest habitats, had higher mean species richness. In both areas, the majority of species were found in a small number of stations and were sampled in a small number of specimens. A dominant and ubiquitous species was present only in Otongachi. The analysis of the community composition was carried out according to different categories of environmental variables (Otonga vs. Otongachi, forest type, elevation, litter and canopy coverage characteristics). Two well-differentiated coenoses were found, influenced firstly by the differences between the two reserves, secondarily by the elevation gradient and, to a lesser extent, by the forest type and other environmental variables. Some morphospecies characteristic of a specific type of biocoenosis could be identified. The study highlighted how most litter weevil species are strictly associated with a peculiar microhabitat and have a very narrow elevation and spatial range; the weevil communities can be strongly affected by heavy human impact. The results confirm that the tropical forests, in particular the TMCFs, host great biodiversity and that the majority of species are strictly associated with a single site; therefore, particular protection for these habitats should be granted. However, the non-significant variation between primary and secondary TMCFs indicates that, when correct management is carried out, a limited disturbance can be tolerated with only a limited loss of biodiversity.

Our work aims to assess how butterfly communities in the Italian Maritime Alps changed over the past 40 years, in parallel with altitudinal shifts occurring in plant communities. In 2019, we sampled butterflies at 7 grassland sites, between 1300–1900 m, previously investigated in 2009 and 1978, by semi-quantitative linear transects. Fine-scale temperature and precipitation data elaborated by optimal interpolation techniques were used to quantify climate changes. The changes in the vegetation cover and main habitat alterations were assessed by inspection of aerial photographs (1978–2018/1978–2006–2015). The vegetation structure showed a marked decrease of grassland habitats and an increase of woods (1978–2009). Plant physiognomy has remained stable in recent years (2009–2019) with some local exceptions due to geomorphic disturbance. We observed butterfly ‘species substitution’ indicating a general loss in the more specialised and a general gain in more tolerant elements. We did not observe any decrease in species richness, but rather a change in guild compositions, with (i) an overall increased abundance in some widespread and common lowland species and (ii) the disappearance (or strong decrease) of some alpine (high elevation) species, so that ‘resilience’ could be just delusive. Changes in butterfly community composition were consistent with predicted impacts of local warming.

Saproxylic weevils and edaphic beetles of some relict forests of north-western Italy were analysed to determine the role of the age of the forests, their isolation and the degree of naturalness of the patches within each forest on the composition of litter-associated communities. Ten species of saproxylic weevils were found. The communities showed variation among the various forests, and were mainly dependent on the age of the forest and their connectivity; the degree of naturalness did not influence species richness or abundance, but apparently had an effect on some more specialized taxa that were only present in the patches with highest degree of naturalness. No saproxylic weevils were found in a relatively recently established forest, demonstrating their difficulty in colonizing newly formed habitats isolated from other forests. The edaphic beetles (usually predators belonging to Carabidae and Staphylinidae) proved to be more abundant, were also present in the recently established forest and occurred in quite large numbers in some deteriorated patches too. Saproxylic weevils and edaphic predatory beetles thus provide different information on the environmental quality of the forests.

Alien species introduction is a global phenomenon involving different invasion patterns and is characterized by niche conservatism or shift. We describe the spatial distribution of Cacyreus marshalli Butler, [1898] (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in its native (southern Africa) and invaded (Europe) ranges. C. marshalli is the only alien butterfly in Europe, introduced by the trade of ornamental Pelargonium plants, and might threaten native lycaenids because of the chance of its naturalization on indigenous Geranium spp. In Europe, C. marshalli is widespread in the Mediterranean basin, but absent in northern countries. We investigate invasion patterns and their temporal dynamics in Italy, the most extensively invaded country, identifying three phases and different rates of spread resulting from multiple introductions and human-mediated movements. We also characterize and compare the native and invasive ecological niches of C. marshalli with a multivariate approach based on bioclimatic, ecological and human demographic variables. The little overlap between the native and invaded niches (12.6%) indicates a shift in the realized niche of C. marshalli. While the expansion potential of C. marshalli in Europe remains constrained by the distribution of suitable host plants, our niche comparison analysis suggests the species has already invaded new ecological and climatic spaces. This includes colder areas than would be suggested by its native distribution in Africa.

The accomplishment of a Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) for habitats and species is the Habitats Directive's primary goal (HD, 92/43/EEC).As tools for assessing the measurable parameters of conservation status, the European Commission identified Favourable Reference Values (FRVs), and it described the methodology to set them.However, examples of its application are rare.We propose a mixed reference-/model-based approach to set the Favourable Reference Population (FRP) and Range (FRR) for a threatened butterfly, Parnassius apollo, in the Italian Alps.The approach involves the use of a habitat suitability map obtained via Maxent as a basis for a clumping procedure to identify discrete patches of suitable habitat (clumps), corresponding to potentially viable local (meta)populations.The number and distribution of clumps occupied by the species along geographical gradients are compared to the distribution of all available clumps to define the FRVs.According to our analyses, 41 clumps are occupied by P. apollo in the Italian Alps.Since their distribution reflects clump availability along all geographical gradients, this value can be used to express the FRP, and to subsequently define the FRR as the envelope including the 41 clumps.Our approach considers several conditions reflecting the species persistence and provides insights for conservation and monitoring.Our objective, transparent method of setting FRVs can be applied to assess FCSs for other threatened species occurring in discrete units, with disjunct populations or local metapopulations.

Mountain ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots that are increasingly threatened by climate and land use/land cover changes. Long-term biodiversity monitoring programs provide unique insights into resulting adverse impacts on plant and animal species distribution. Species distribution models (SDMs) in combination with satellite remote sensing (SRS) data offer the opportunity to analyze shifts of species distributions in response to these changes in a spatially explicit way. Here, we predicted the presence probability of three different rove beetles in a mountainous protected area (Gran Paradiso National Park, GPNP) using environmental variables derived from Landsat and Aster Global Digital Elevation Model data and an ensemble modelling approach based on five different model algorithms (maximum entropy, random forest, generalized boosting models, generalized additive models, and generalized linear models). The objectives of the study were (1) to evaluate the potential of SRS data for predicting the presence of species dependent on local-scale environmental parameters at two different time periods, (2) to analyze shifts in species distributions between the years, and (3) to identify the most important species-specific SRS predictor variables. All ensemble models showed area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristics values above 0.7 and true skills statistics (TSS) values above 0.4, highlighting the great potential of SRS data. While only a small proportion of the total area was predicted as highly suitable for each species, our results suggest an increase of suitable habitat over time for the species Platydracus stercorarius and Ocypus ophthalmicus, and an opposite trend for Dinothenarus fossor. Vegetation cover was the most important predictor variable in the majority of the SDMs across all three study species. To better account for intra- and inter-annual variability of population dynamics as well as environmental conditions, a continuation of the monitoring program in GPNP as well as the employment of SRS with higher spatial and temporal resolution is recommended.

Mountain biodiversity is associated with rare and fragile biota that are highly sensitive to climate change. To estimate the vulnerability of biodiversity to temperature rise, long-term field data are crucial. Species distribution models are an essential tool, in particular for invertebrates, for which detailed information on spatial and temporal distributions is largely missing. We applied presence-only distribution models to field data obtained from a systematic survey of 5 taxa (birds, butterflies, carabids, spiders, staphylinids), monitored in the northwestern Italian Alps. We estimated the effects of a moderate temperature increase on the multi-taxa distributions. Only small changes in the overall biodiversity patterns emerged, but we observed significant differences between groups of species and along the altitudinal gradient. The effects of temperature increase could be more pronounced for spiders and butterflies, and particularly detrimental for high-altitude species. We observed significant changes in community composition and species richness, especially in the alpine belt, but a clear separation between vegetation levels was retained also in the warming scenarios. Our conservative approach suggests that even a moderate temperature increase (about 1 °C) could influence animal biodiversity in mountain ecosystems: only long-term field data can provide the information to improve quantitative predictions, allowing us to readily identify the most informative signals of forthcoming changes.

Understanding risks to biodiversity requires predictions of the spatial distribution of species adapting to changing ecosystems and, to that end, Earth observations integrating field surveys prove essential as they provide key numbers for assessing landscape-wide biodiversity scenarios. Here, we develop, and apply to a relevant case study, a method suited to merge Earth/field observations with spatially explicit stochastic metapopulation models to study the near-term ecological dynamics of target species in complex terrains. Our framework incorporates the use of species distribution models for a reasoned estimation of the initial presence of the target species and accounts for imperfect and incomplete detection of the species presence in the study area. It also uses a metapopulation fitness function derived from Earth observation data subsuming the ecological niche of the target species. This framework is applied to contrast occupancy of two species of carabids ( Pterostichus flavofemoratus , Carabus depressus ) observed in the context of a large ecological monitoring program carried out within the Gran Paradiso National Park (GPNP, Italy). Results suggest that the proposed framework may indeed exploit the hallmarks of spatially explicit ecological approaches and of remote Earth observations. The model reproduces well the observed in situ data. Moreover, it projects in the near term the two species’ presence both in space and in time, highlighting the features of the metapopulation dynamics of colonization and extinction, and their expected trends within verifiable timeframes.

Land-use changes, both in terms of land abandonment and intensification, have led to fragmentation and loss of traditional agricultural habitats. Extensive grazing is among the forms of land use that have undergone the greatest changes. This represents one of the main threats to biodiversity; consequently, a comprehensive overview about the impacts on the biodiversity of changes that are happening in pastoral activities is needed. Moreover, a clear picture of the most widely studied geographical areas, habitats, and taxonomic groups needs to be developed in order to understand the situation. In this framework, we carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the publications related to the impacts of pastoral activities on animal biodiversity in Europe. We analysed 223 articles by searching the ISI Web of Science platform and combining keywords related to "pastoral activities" and "biodiversity indicators”, applying a vote count approach, i.e. simply dividing articles into categories depending on their results (non-significant ones, significant positive results, significant negative ones). Moreover, we conducted a meta-analysis on 33 articles, selecting those focusing on Arthropods (the most studied taxa). To understand the main gaps in this scientific topic, we focused on: i) the identification of the geographical, environmental, and temporal structure of the studies; ii) the description of the main target groups used as bio-indicators; iii) the comparison of different management practices (overgrazing, traditional, agri-environment schemes - AESs), plus land abandonment, to determine which is the best for biodiversity conservation and to evaluate the effectiveness of AESs. There was a bias towards lowlands in comparison to uplands, as well as a lack of long-term studies. Plants were more sensitive than animals to grazing changes. Arthropods’ orders are the taxa used most frequently as indicators, in comparison with vertebrates, especially birds. We identified a generalised negative impact of overgrazing in all the habitats and geographical areas, apparently except in mountainous shrubland. Conversely, land abandonment resulted in a negative influence on biodiversity only in the mountainous areas of southern Europe (underlining the important role of traditional activities), whereas short term abandonment had a beneficial role in central Europe, where overgrazing was more widespread. The meta-analysis suggested that arthropod richness was higher in short to mid-term abandoned pastures than under either extensive or intensive grazing systems. Finally, the effectiveness of AESs for conservation purposes was not confirmed by the vote count approach, whilst meta-analysis detected a positive effect for Arthropods of these same management practices when compared to overgrazing. We highlight a lack of data on AESs, especially when compared with traditional extensive grazing or abandonment. Our findings suggest that AES seems to effectively mimic traditional pastures, contrasting overgrazing, which is one of its main goal. Since AES have a strong potential in influencing sustainable management and promoting biodiversity conservation, the European Union should focus on the most effective and well targeted AES based on research, and further studies will be necessary to continuously assess their effect.

A new procedure for mark-recapture of Coleoptera Dytiscidae was developed. It consists of marking one elytron directly in the field using a battery driven mini-drill for making a small scratch, followed by attachment of a small label with an alpha-numeric code printed on hydro-resistant paper. The results of a four-year long study on some Dytiscidae species living in a montane peat-bog are summarized and discussed. The application of the method to other taxa is also outlined

Mountain ecosystems are particularly sensitive to changes in climate and land cover, but at the same time, they can offer important refuges for species on the opposite of the more altered lowlands. To explore the potential role of mountain ecosystems in butterfly conservation and to assess the vulnerability of the alpine species, we analyzed the short-term changes (2006–2008 vs. 2012–2013) of butterflies’ distribution along altitudinal gradients in the NW Italian Alps. We sampled butterfly communities once a month (62 sampling stations, 3 seasonal replicates per year, from June to August) by semi-quantitative sampling techniques. The monitored gradient ranges from the montane to the alpine belt (600–2700 m a.s.l.) within three protected areas: Gran Paradiso National Park (LTER, Sitecode: LTER_EU_IT_109), Orsiera Rocciavrè Natural Park and Veglia Devero Natural Park. We investigated butterflies’ temporal changes in accordance with a hierarchical approach to assess potential relationships between species and community level. As a first step, we characterized each species in terms of habitat requirements, elevational range and temperature preferences and we compared plot occupancy and altitudinal range changes between time periods (2006–2008 vs. 2012–2013). Secondly, we focused on community level, analyzing species richness and community composition temporal changes. The species level analysis highlighted a general increase in mean occupancy level and significant changes at both altitudinal boundaries. Looking at the ecological groups, we observed an increase of generalist and highly mobile species at the expense of the specialist and less mobile ones. For the community level, we noticed a significant increase in species richness, in the community temperature index and a tendency towards homogenization within communities. Besides the short time period considered, butterflies species distribution and communities changed considerably. In light of these results, it is fundamental to continue monitoring activities to understand if we are facing transient changes or first signals of an imminent trend.

Species inventories represent a key instrument by which the biodiversity of an area can be better understood and are essential in developing optimal management plans for conservation. We present an annotated checklist of the butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) of the Special Area of Conservation Alpi Veglia – Devero – Monte Giove, in the northwestern Italian Alps. The checklist represents the result of research carried out by the authors from 2003 to 2018. We identified 107 species (36.9% of the entire Italian butterfly fauna), eight of which are reported for the first time in the study area. Four species (Erebia christi, Maculinea arion, Parnassius apollo, P. mnemosyne) represent taxa of conservation concern that are included in the European Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. We recorded a notable percentage (12.2%) of Alpine endemic species and a high number of species of the genus Erebia (17 species, 15.9%), including two highly localized Alpine endemics: E. christi and E. flavofasciata. We report new localities for these two species, discuss in more detail 19 species of particular interest, and for all species we provide information about their distribution and conservation status in the study area. Profile

Cacyreus marshalli (Butler, 1898) is the only alien butterfly species in Italy, introduced from Southern Africa via the trade of ornamental Pelargonium plants (family Geraniaceae). In 2008, Quacchia and colleagues demonstrated that if Pelargonium plants are not available, females can lay eggs on Geranium spp., developing fertile offspring. C. marshalli is a thermophilous species, but in recent years some adults have been observed flying far from villages and at high altitudes (up to 2400m a.s.l.) in the Orco valley (Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley). Due to the potential threat to native Geranium-consuming lycaenids and to evaluate the risk of naturalisation, we investigated: (i) dispersal abilities of gravid females, outside the National Park to avoid accidental establishment of the invasive species; (ii) pelargonium distribution and abundance; (iii) oviposition behaviour and preimaginal distribution; (iv) citizen care practices with pelargoniums. Pelargoniums were counted in the Orco Valley (5455 plants) and eggs and larvae were counted on 348 pelargoniums chosen on the basis of isolation and altitude. Flight experiments suggested that females were able to overcome barriers and fly at least 550m looking for host plants. Eggs and larvae were unexpectedly abundant, but models showed that there was a temperature limit which prevented upward expansion of C. marshalli. Citizens were given a questionnaire to complete to investigate their propensity to replace pelargonium with other ornamental plants. We discuss the possibility of eradicating C. marshalli in the protected area in the light of our results.

Butterflies of the European Euphydryas aurinia complex include a series of taxa, showing morphological and eco-ethological differences. All of them are threatened by changes in land use affecting both the structural and functional connectivity of habitat patches, as well as habitat quality. In this framework, we analysed the use of resources by two of the three taxa occurring in Italy, E. (a.) glaciegenita (Alpine) and E. (a.) provincialis (Mediterranean), at landscape', patch' and microhabitat' scale. We collected data on spatial distribution of adults by Mark-Release-Recapture to understand which parameters affect adult distributions at landscape scale and to test the degree of adult aggregation at patch scale. We sampled first instar larvae within fixed plots and compared the microhabitat characteristics of occupied vs. unoccupied host plants. We found that both populations were affected by management at landscape scale, with contrasting patterns depending on both sites and sex. The food plants were not a limiting factor for adult distribution, probably because they were abundant in the study areas. Within patches, males of E. (a.) glaciegenita showed aggregate distributions in comparison to those of E. (a.) provincialis, suggesting the existence of a lek strategy. At microhabitat scale, we observed that females carefully chose their egg-laying sites according to host plant density and microclimatic cues, even though selection was driven by distinct factors in the two populations. Understanding the ecological requirements of all life stages is essential to develop appropriate conservation strategies to preserve butterflies of the E. aurinia complex in Italy.

The Italian biodiversity is among the richest in Europe. In particular, the Italian butterfly fauna includes almost 300 native species, and within the Euro-Mediterranean area is second in species richness only to Turkey. Italy, however, has suffered from the lack of suitable instruments to evaluate the extinction risk of individual butterfly species on the basis of internationally recognised standards. We have been working to create the first Italian Red List for butterflies. The achievement of this goal was divided into three actions: (i) the institution of a network of experts on butterfly conservation; (ii) the evaluation of the extinction risk for all Italian butterfly species; (iii) the integration of the baseline information provided by the Italian Red Lists of other taxa crucial for future evaluations of biodiversity trends in Italy. Assessments of extinction risks were based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria following their most updated guidelines and were discussed during workshops involving experts from different Italian regions. All native Italian butterflies were included in the evaluation. The whole national population of each species was evaluated, including those on large and small islands. Of 289 butterfly species assessed, one has become Regionally Extinct recently. Threatened species are 18 in total, corresponding to 6.3% of the species assessed. The majority of Italian butterfly populations are stable. The main threats to Italian butterflies are natural reforestation, as a consequence of rural land abandonment, agricultural intensification and climate change for species living at high altitude.

1. Climate change poses serious threats to the long‐term persistence of many animal and plant populations. Species having specific niche requirements, or characterised by highly co‐evolved interactions, will face the greatest challenges. An example is represented by M aculinea alcon ( D enis & S chiffermüller), a monophagous and univoltine butterfly species, which lays eggs only on larval host plants which occur inparticular phenological conditions. 2. The present 2‐year study focused on two M. alcon populations, both located at the southern boundaries of the species, but facing different climatic conditions (360 m, low altitude versus 860 m, high altitude ). Population vulnerability with respect to direct and indirect effects of climate change was analysed, focusing on two important aspects of butterfly biology, i.e. the flight activity of adults and the degree of synchrony in the larval plant–insect interactions. 3. It was observed that, when positive temperature anomalies are reached, the temperature can exert detrimental effects on adults' activity. At a low altitude, in a hotter than usual year, a temperature threshold was recorded (around 32 ° C ), above which the activity of butterflies is inhibited. In contrast, at a high altitude, temperature increases maintain the opportunity to enhance butterfly activity. Altitudinal differences were also observed in the phenology of the two interacting species, which generate stronger asynchrony at low altitudes. 4. High‐ and low‐altitude populations represent different conservation units: a global increase in temperature would pose a serious threat to the lowland populations, whereas high‐altitude populations would gain a greater role in assuring the persistence of M. alcon at its southern boundaries.

The knowledge on species’ habitat preferences at local scales across its range is an essential condition for defining the most appropriate habitat management for the conservation of any species. In this study, we combined field observations from three European countries with breeding experiments under field conditions to identify oviposition and larval preferences of Coenonympha oedippus at the micro-scale level across contrasting habitat types (wet vs. dry). Despite the wide geographical range and the different habitats we found some common features: (1) vegetation structure of the herb layer is an essential factor for oviposition site electivity and successful development of premature stages; (2) high cover of litter and/or dwarf shrubs in the microhabitat (larval 45–70 %, oviposition 40–50 %) creates a herb layer rich in gaps; at their edges eggs are deposited and the caterpillars are adequately sun-exposed; (3) egg-laying females are not selective regarding oviposition substratum; (4) oviposition height is adjusted to positions with direct sunlight or warm substratum; (5) the host-plants coverage in oviposition sites was high: between 45 and 50 % in wet habitats, and between 18 and 41 % in dry habitats (depending on whether only plants observed as hosts in this study are counted, or whether all potential host species are included); (6) the most important host-plant is Carex panicea (wet) and Carex humilis (dry), but Molinia caerulea (wet) and Festuca rupicola (dry) are also used regularly; (7) the availability of winter-green host-plants in the vicinity of hibernated larvae plays a substantial role in their survival. As regular mowing or grazing would remove the litter and destroy the gaps, the management should be restricted to selective reed cutting or manual shrub removal. Only selective mowing during winter (December–February) can be recommended for keeping the habitat open where the reduction of bushes is not sufficient.

The Valdieri area (Italian Maritime Alps) has long been known for harbouring a large variety of Mediterranean and Alpine elements, often occurring together in an intricate pattern of co-habitations that is practically without equal elsewhere in the Alps. The area has been designated as a Site of Communitarian Interest (SCI: "Argentera" IT1110053), has been listed among the 32 "Prime Butterfly Areas" occurring in Italy and is now considered a priority site for conservation. A large number of amateur and professional entomologists alike have visited the area over the years, generating a mass of information on the Valdierian butterflies. We carefully searched the "grey" literature for data on the butterflies and the burnet moths occurring in this area. Since the second half of the 19th Century, almost 100 papers and books have been dedicated, in whole or in part, to the description of this fauna, which currently includes many as 161 species. We sampled butterflies in 2008-2009 and found one previously unreported species. Here we provide an annotated checklist of the butterfly and burnet moth species occurring in the area, including comments on their ecology and distribution, as well as a complete list of the publications dealing with them.